Mandy Philips planned her honeymoon in Africa, but when her doctor fiancé replaces her with a younger blonder floozy before they have a chance to get married, she decides to leave her life behind for a safari in the more wild part of South Africa. And now she is by herself. Or is she? Her hired guide Peter shows her the most beautiful sights and wild animals, but their budding romance is rudely sidetracked when Mandy is kidnapped by poachers. Almost no roads. Almost no food. Predators everywhere. Mandy must reunite first with her guide and then make it back to civilization before something else threatens her much-needed and very different kind of vacation.

I absolutely loved Mandy. She is a go getter and no nonsense type of woman who still wants her bit of luxury in the wilds of Africa. She is the realistic character that any woman can relate to because she’s afraid of snakes. Well, I think most people would be frightened of 8 foot baby snakes! A few snapping crocodiles, stampeding buffalo, and nasty poachers would also make anyone sit down, cry and give up, but not Mandy. She still cries (wouldn’t you?) but she doesn’t give up. She gets burned and wet and bedraggled, but continues on, even though she knows her sense of direction is hopeless.

I also loved Peter. He was calm and collected, but was still nervous for their survival out in the bush. He was the Crocodile Dundee of Africa, knowing every leaf, tree, bird, and animal that they walked by. He had his own story and his own life prior to meeting Mandy. He wasn’t just thrown into her path for her sake. He was his own person and that’s what makes for the best types of romance. Both characters were their own person before they met each other and didn’t just exist during the time they knew each other. They didn’t just fall in love or commit themselves to each other, though extreme circumstances are known to make people fall in love harder and faster.

Heart of Africa was as much its setting as it was its lovers and story. Lockner gave the setting a life of its own. Through her eyes I saw this small part of South Africa and it was made beautiful. I can’t say I will remember the hordes of animals Lockner describes or that I would myself want to visit, but I came away with a deeper understanding of the areas Mandy goes to during her Safari. I think, after reading this book, that I definitely would never go because I am for sure afraid of snakes longer than a foot, angry wild poachers, wild unpredictable animals, and scorpions finding their way into my shoes.

This novel was published by Loren Lockner October 10th, 2014 and is available on Amazon here.